Dad
by NovelistServant
Summary: Nick and Judy have adopted their daughter, a little raccoon named Victoria. Nick is very happy to be a father, and loves baby Victory very much, but is worried about how good of a father he'll be to her.


A child's cry pierced his heart and forced him out of his late-night slumber. At instinct, he got out of bed as quickly and swiftly as he could, as to not disturb Judy, who was probably trying to sink back from a doze into a deep sleep. He ran out of his shared room and to the closed bedroom door a little down the short hall.

He opened the door, but then stopped. The crying stopped, knowing someone was there, but Nick paused, wondering what the heck he just did. He could have tried to slip back into bed, but the baby would then go back to crying until someone came, and then Judy would get up, pissed at Nick for not helping when he clearly was awake.

The dumb fox stopped and thought to himself what in the world made him think he could do this. It was like reality slapped him right in the face and now he watched in horror at what he was doing. He was playing a game he could only lose, and he didn't need to add this to the list of things he failed, disappointed.

Judy wanted to be a mom, and he really wanted to be a dad. The idea gave him a smile and he was excited. He could almost see him begging for a tree-house, or her sitting in a little chair in front of him with cups of pretend-tea in their paws.

He was excited to find their missing Wilde in that orphanage and it took all he could to not skip in and drag Judy by the hand. He was discouraged to find no connection with any of the children, no zing, no feeling. Maybe today simply wasn't the day? Maybe another time?

…

Maybe he wasn't feeling anything because he wasn't meant to be a father.

No! He forced that out of his mind and focused on helping Judy and they kept looking. They walked into that room and his green eyes scanned. It was Judy that found her. He too heard the shriek from the crib and the laugh the female lion gave.

He walked over and peered into the crib. It was a female raccoon. He watched Judy pick up and hold her close to her chest with protective paws. She had held up her arms to hold them closer, and so Nick gave her his paw. She grabbed it tightly, never wanting to let go, and felt his soft fur and strong arm.

He felt something new with their little Victoria. He felt the need to shield her from the world, to tear anyone that laid eyes on her to bits. He loved her at first sight and she was truly his daughter. There was no denying the fact that she made up her mind on who her parents were, and Judy and Nick were just as sure. Well… Judy was.

Nick had no idea what to do. He loved her, but was confused and scared. He didn't know anything about taking care of children, not much his own! He didn't think taking care of a pretend-son counted. And it didn't help matters that he had no idea how to be a father.

He never even knew his name. She couldn't say it, hardly able to choke out his disappearance. He never had a father-figure growing up, only his mother. She did her best, but it simply wasn't enough. He grew up to be a con-man, and if it wasn't for Judy, he would have remained the same until the day he joined her.

And now he was a father, but had no clue how to be one, a job he was destined to fail. Maybe by some miracle, Judy could be a good enough parent for the both of them and make up for Nick's lack of capable fatherhood. He'd help pay bills, feed her, and do their job, but aside from that, he'd just step back and stay away as to never hurt her.

He only had the job for two days and was already finding himself distant in order to keep from disappointing her. The thought of hurting her, physically and emotionally, broke his heart. And it broke it to stay away, but it was better this way…

Victoria cried when Nick just stood there and he was snapped out of his thoughts. He walked into her nursery decorated with flowers and butterflies and closed the door behind him to muffle the crying. He looked down into the pink crib and at his daughter.

She quieted down to a whimper in her baby-blue one-piece and lifted her arms to him as her bottom lip quivered and tears slipped out of her eyes. Nick couldn't hold back his smile and he bent down to pick her up, but wasn't sure what to do with his claws.

He switched them from her head, to hip, to head, to hip, confused on what to do. Victoria watched with a look on her face that said, "What are you waiting for? Pick me up." The fox groaned, desperately wanting to just leave Judy to do it, but he had to try! For her!

He froze at the thought of ever retreating in fear. No, he'd never leave, but never doing anything was just as good as leaving. He'd better than his non-existent father and make Victoria proud to be his daughter! He was a lot of things. Nick may have been a liar, a con-man, a thief, a vixen-eater, but he was NOT a coward!

He took in a deep breath like he about to dive into an ocean and he slipped his paws under her back and neck to pick Victoria up. He lifted her up carefully and held her in front of him to see her well. Her eyes dried a bit but her face was still drenched in fear. She smelled and felt fine, and she couldn't have been hungry. Maybe she had gotten scared, or lonely.

Nick only smiled and said quietly, "Oh, you raccoons. You're so emotional."

He brought her closer and held her by his right shoulder. She let a few more tears of fear escape her shaking body and soak his white undershirt.

"There we go." The fox cooed. "That's it, Victoria. Deep breaths."

She breathed deeply to sooth her aching chest and he rubbed her little back softly in little circles. Yes, this felt right. He seemed to be going well. He went with instinct and stayed focused on making her feel better, to let her know that he was always right there.

Nick saw her baby-blue rocker and was tired of standing, so he went to it and sat, rocking his daughter and rubbing her back while he whispered comforting words in her ear. She grew calm and seemed to like being rocked and rubbed.

"That's it." Nick whispered. "There we are, girl." He paused and held her in front of him and against his arm to look at her. "Ya know, I gotta call ya more than 'Victoria'. Don't ask why, it's just a thing."

The tiny raccoon started to fuss and Nick put her back on his right shoulder and rocked as he rubbed her back.

"Okay, okay." He muttered, thinking of nicknames for her. "Well, there's Target. Or Stripes. No, that's for a tiger. You're kinda small, so I could call ya Short-Stuff. No, what about Half-Pint?" He chuckled and added, "Nah, you won't stay small forever, sweetheart."

His heart skipped a beat. He could almost see her saying goodbye on her way out the door for her first day of high school. How long would it be until he was holding a box of her things to help move instead of her hand? He could imagine her in the most beautiful wedding gown, and having to give her away.

It all happened so fast. Once an infant and now gone. No! No, she was right here! Dependent of him and in his arms! He vowed to never let go! Not his little girl! Not his Victory!

He paused at the name. "Victory." He hissed in the dark. "Hm, not bad." He kissed her neck and added as he kept his lips to her furred neck, "We'll work on it, sweetie."

He knew he couldn't stop the years from coming and going away like a crisp fall wind. He knew Victoria would grow up and move away. But he'd make the most of the short eighteen years he had with her. He'd make them the best years of their lives. No one could possibly love her more than him. Not his little Victory.

He kissed her again and whispers, "Daddy loves you, sweetheart."

She moved her hand from his clothing to his neck and opened and closed her hand, almost petting his orange-red fur. He knew what it meant.

 _"_ _I love you too, Daddy."_


End file.
